education sessions

(Re) Engaging the Business Community;;(re) defining your relationship with business supporters

Understand that businesses are looking for more benefits than their name on an event tshirt or gala program. Businesses are looking more strategic in the ways they give and maximize their ROI. Join us as we review the basics of engaging in the business community and review how one organization created a unique business group. The organization formed a group to educate, ignite passion for the mission, and increase sponsorships and support for the capital campaign.

Speakers

Steven Titlebaum

Linda Lysakowski

5 Trends With the Power to Change Major Gift Fundraising

Major gift fundraisers are laser-focused on donors, but sector-wide trends are changing the field as we know it.  In this session, we will explore the big picture, bringing together nonprofit leaders to discuss the decline in broad-based giving and the rise of mega-donors, tax law changes, the relentless emphasis on outcomes, and more.

Speakers

Joshua Else

Margie Kim

Christina Yoon

A (Cis) Man’s Place Is in This Session: No, Really, Come to This Session

Do you get a sense that womxn in the fundraising field have a heavy load to bear?  Do you feel like some men are making all men look bad?  Are you wondering what YOU could do--or not do--about it?  You don’t have to be that guy anymore.  Come learn how to help seed change.

Speakers

Heather Hill

Ashley Belanger

Cherian Koshy

Tycely Williams

A Christian, a Muslim, and a Jew Walk Into a Room...

Should you offer a Christian donor a cookie during Lent?  Is it okay to book a meeting with a Muslim donor on a Friday?  Should you wear a head covering to talk to a Jewish donor?  Where to start?  In this interactive session, learn ideas and tips for understanding and communicating with people of faith.  The only stupid question will be the one you didn''t ask.

Speakers

Irshad Osman

Ann Rosenfield

Lori Guenther Reesor

A Seat at the Table or Part of the Meal: Creating a Culture of Inclusion

If you don''t have a seat at the table, you will be a part of meal, or, as they say down South,  "You will be discussed!"  Others will satisfy their appetites for superiority or ill-informed biases to dish out what they think about those not present at the table.  Check the biases within your organization and find the tools needed to create a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Speakers

Kimberly Lewis

Advocacy and Philanthropy: Turning Donors Into Powerful Advocates

Our nonprofit organizations can no longer afford to stay silent on the public policies that affect our missions and the communities we serve.  As fundraisers, we are positioned to engage our donors and help them become powerful advocates for our causes and system change.  In this session, we will address the myths and fears around nonprofits engaging in advocacy, and hear from fundraisers who, through effective advocacy, have developed deeper donor relations while increasing giving and donor loyalty.

Speakers

Anthony Petchel

Mary-Frances Wain

Tiffany Miller

Ask For Anything Artfully

What if you had a specific 3-sentence recipe to ask for anything? You will write and speak an Ask for a Major gift or anything - event sponsors, operations, board service, and endowment gifts. You may rock at creating a great relationship, but the gift comes from a clear ask, confidently delivered. Learn how with Marcy Heim’s special presentation style of fun and hands-on action!

Speakers

Marcy Heim

Beyond the Hype: What Actually Works in Digital Fundraising and Social Media

Tired of all the hype around social media, especially when it comes to fundraising? Want to learn what *actually* works and how to prioritize your digital fundraising efforts to drive donations and build community?  Yes, even small nonprofits can get real results on social media.  We will show you how in this interactive, tactical workshop for digital fundraisers who want to start working smarter, not harder on social media. 

Speakers

Julia Campbell

Josh Hirsch

Changing Global Paradigms: Leading on Shifting Sands

Leadership in 2020 requires a different set of skills, talents, and experience than before, and the shift will become even more dramatic over the next decade.  Drawing from extensive experience leading organizations, chairing boards, and coaching CEOs and board leaders, speaker Bob Carter, CFRE, will engage participants in a dynamic discussion on leadership.

Speakers

Bob Carter

Chasing Cash Is Crazy: Creativity Counts Crafting Consistently Credible Contributions

Planned giving often concentrates on the arcane mechanics of gifting vehicles while ignoring the motivations of the donor.  In this session, we examine the donor''s point of view. Specifically, we will examine how to identify the donor''s financial and estate planning challenges and how to address those challenges with planned giving.

Speakers

Richard Lehrman

Creating Culturally Responsive Fundraising Campaigns

Organized philanthropy is not doing an adequate job of engaging non-white communities.  African-American, Hispanic, and Muslim donors are solicited less frequently.  These communities suggest they would give more if they were asked more often.  This session will look at fundraising preferences and motivations for giving in non-white and diverse faith communities.  Participants will learn how to move away from a one-size-fits-all fundraising approach and how cultural norms play a role in engaging new communities.

Speakers

Saadia Ahmed

Rachel Branaman

Crushing It: Capital Campaign Communications That Knock Their Socks Off

How do you write capital campaign communications so they inspire donors to take action?  How can you better use communications to engage with campaign ambassadors and donors early on?  What print or digital tools will you need during each phase?  This session will focus on the best ways to communicate your case for support so you can close big gifts with confidence.  Learn how to engage with major donors in new ways.

Speakers

Bonnie Epstein

Vicky Bisogno

Sarah Durham

Diversity in Development: Black Women Wear White Hats

Have you ever felt like Olivia Pope, always striving to save everything in development when you can barely save yourself?  Join this session as we discuss the Kerry Washington effect--managing while black.  We will host an honest and transparent conversation about black women and overcoming barriers in competency, compliance, and self-care.

Speakers

Taylor Ballard

Tiffany Stafford

Lashonda Williams

Cherrelle Duncan

Donor Advised Funds: The New Paradigm in Philanthropy

Donor advised funds (DAFs) are not only here to stay, they are growing faster than any other charitable vehicle.  Yet effectively engaging with donors who establish DAFs can be challenging for development professionals. In this session, we will explore donor motivations for establishing DAFs, the restrictions governing them, how to position your organization to ask for and receive DAF donations, and the underlying ethical issues driving recent controversies.

Speakers

Josephine Everly

Donor Love: Brain, Data, and Experience to Supercharge Your Donor Retention

Have you ever wondered what "donor love" or retention means in practice and how to measure it?  With the help of neuroscience and real fundraising cases from around the world, this session will show how to engage donors using science, experience, and data to supercharge the lifetime value (LTV) of donors.

Speakers

Francesco Saverio Ambrogetti

Elevate Your Event Experiences

Events are all about memory making, and you are the memory makers.  Moving your attendees to emotion is your goal, but they can’t be emotional if they’re not immersed in the experience. You don’t need large budgets to get the essentials right, you need to prioritize what matters to your guests.  Come join us as we explore best practices for bringing interactive experiences to life at events! 

Speakers

Jan McGuire

Lynne Wester

Embracing the Power of Your Legacy Pipeline

The success of any legacy program relies on good prospects, inspiring stories, and a strategic approach to moving donors, but what actions and moves do you need at every stage of the process?  This session will share how to implement a three-step pipeline matrix for inspiring donors to leave a legacy to your organization and how to design engaging and personalized supporter journeys that will both excite your donors and build better relationships with them. 

Speakers

Ligia Pena

Everything That’s Wrong With Fundraising Self-Regulation–And Quite a Bit That’s Right

This session presents new ways of thinking about fundraising self-regulation that can lead to more focused and targeted regulatory initiatives and foster better mutual understanding and collaboration between regulators and those they regulate.  It also identifies practical ways to improve fundraisers’ compliance with existing standards. 

Speakers

Ian MacQuillin

Everything You Know About Boards Is Wrong

So, you think you know board "best practices"?  Term limits?  Board fundraising obligations?  What research data backs up these ideas?  In this provocative session, members of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management Governance Affinity Group will facilitate a robust discussion on the implications of the research.  You will learn to question everything you thought you knew.

Speakers

Gayle Gifford

Fish in Your Own Pond: Combining Analytics and Stewardship to Raise More Money

Did you know that donor attrition is at an all-time high and second gift conversion is at an all-time low?  In this session, learn about a proven method to create deeper relationships with your current donors, to "fish in your own pond" for those who have higher capacity or are prospects for other forms of giving.  Learn to combine stewardship with donor database analytics, and refocus on both the art and science of fundraising.

Speakers

Sam Laprade

From Reliable to Remarkable: Growing Regular Gifts

Raise more money by shifting from annual giving to regular giving.  Discover strategies for growing loyal, regular donors. Too many nonprofits pin their hopes on end-of-year giving.  Instead, learn how to set aggressive, yet attainable, goals for year-round gifts and implement a plan that ensures success.

Speakers

Karin Cox

Janell Johnson

Fundraiser Burnout: How Well Are We Looking After Ourselves?

In 36 years of fundraising, I have personally seen fundraisers suffer from burnout, depression, alcoholism, premature death, and even suicide.  Many of us probably know friends and colleagues that are affected.  I have been there.  In this session, we will explore causes of stress and burnout, how to recognize the signs in ourselves and others, and explore ways in which we can address the situation.

Speakers

Ligia Pena

Daryl Upsall

Fundraising Across Borders: Working with Volunteer Leadership and Major Donors Outside the United States

In today''s globalized world, more and more U.S.-based nonprofit organizations are beginning to fundraise abroad. While this presents opportunities for expanded brand awareness and meaningful major gifts, it also presents unique challenges. How do you learn about cultural nuances and adjust your approach accordingly? How do you best engage volunteers who live hours, possibly even many time zones away?

Speakers

Jenny L. Williams

Jennifer McMillan

Amy Parker

Fundraising After A Tragedy: Finding Your New Normal

In October 2018, a shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh forever changed fundraising and communications for a nonprofit that served two of the men who died.  Learn the steps one agency took to handle the influx of media inquiries and donations from around the globe.  Learn how they were able to successfully steward and keep their new constituents informed then and now, and how they found their new normal.

Speakers

David Tinker

Fundraising Ethics: Special Considerations When Your Donors Are Older Adults

Charity scandals make sensational global headlines.  A misstep in your local community–or across the continent–can cast a pall on the entire sector. The cry goes out:  someone should do something!  The damaging impact can endure for decades. Ethics in fundraising include the unique and close relationships we have with our donors.  Ethical codes, principles, and practices provide clear direction on how to engage with donors at all stages of life, including elders.

Speakers

Robbe Healey

Fundraising Stats: Just the Facts on Fundraising Statistics

Learn about 67+ fundraising stats, presented by fundraising experts, that reveal the state of the fundraising union. Uncover donor acquisition and retention trends across the globe, and learn how your organization compares with these must-have benchmarks. 

Speakers

Jim Greenfield

Ben Miller

Nathan Dietz

Grant Seeking 2.0: How to Effectively Engage Next-Generation Foundation Boards and Staff

We are in the midst of the most significant "changing of the guard" in the history of philanthropic foundations as the next generation of leaders assumes key staff and board roles.  Learn how to effectively engage them, from initial contact through the submission of your proposal, to gain their attention and trust and secure crucial grant support for your organization.

Speakers

John Hicks

Guns, Gambling, and Marijuana: Mission-Minded Fundraising in a Party-Hearty World

This sessions provides an interactive look at the ethical implications of our fundraising decisions. How should we go about determining whether or not to pursue an idea, especially when donor and volunteer interests, fundraising potential, and mission principles collide? How do we decide whether to engage in relationships or events that involve potentially controversial elements such as guns, gambling, or marijuana? Participants will leave with practical tools for helping their organizations determine what’s right, for whom, and why.

Speakers

Marcella Moyer Schick

How to Cook a Perfect Ask: The Ultimate Recipe for Corporate Partnerships

Do you know why companies engage in social causes?  Do you know how to prospect and identify opportunities for new corporate partnerships?  How can you be a master chef in fundraising?  Learn from two corporate fundraising experts who will demonstrate the main ingredients to persuade a company to donate and how to secure new partnerships through relationships with existing and potential donors.  Come find out the best recipe for corporate fundraising.

Speakers

Thiago Massagardi

Ana Flavia Godoi

How to Generate Results With GRACE, a 5-Step Public Relations Planning Process

Looking for ways to transform your nonprofit’s mission and add value to the work you do?  Learn how to create impact and deliver measurable outcomes with GRACE, an award-winning five-step planning process for your development and public relations efforts.  Come to this session prepared with a goal, and the speakers will walk you through the strategic planning and basic communications principles.  Bring a pen and paper, your laptop, or your tablet and be prepared to take action.

Speakers

Marisol Barrios

How to Recruit, Engage, and Empower Young Professionals to Survive and Thrive On Your Boards

In 2018, AFP released a report indicating that nonprofits need to invest in young professionals in order to tackle the talent crisis in our sector.  In order for organizations to be sustainable, we need to engage young professionals on our boards, including our local AFP chapter boards.  Come learn from AFP’s 2019 Outstanding Young Professionals about how their experiences working on both small and large boards strengthened their young professional efforts and ultimately increased revenue.

Speakers

Juliana Weissbein

Jace Prokupek

Jonathan Richardson

I''m New, and I Want to Be Good! Jump Start Your Career with 8 Key Tips

Are you new to your job?  Do you have lofty dreams and goals to make a difference, but you''re not sure where to begin?  In this session, you will learn 8 key tips from a seasoned fundraiser. These tips will help you get started and put you on the path to quicker success. You will return home ready to impress your colleagues and show them you are ready!

Speakers

Mark Chilutti

Inconceivable! That Metric Does Not Mean What You Think It Means

Do you ever get the feeling that your development metrics are not helping you make smarter decisions?  Is your board insisting on looking at the same numbers they have since the Stone Age?  In this session, we will take a fresh look at fundraising metrics, including their flaws, fallacies, vulnerabilities, and strengths.  We will examine the metrics we use today, how to improve them, and the metrics we should use in the future. 

Speakers

Wes Moon

Kirk Schmidt

Introvert or Extrovert? It Doesn’t Matter… Just Own Your Style

You know about introversion and extroversion.  Have you heard that one of these personality styles is better than the other for fundraising?  Actually, there are strengths and weaknesses to both.  The key to success is knowing your style and owning it. Through awareness you can take advantage of the benefits of your style, and watch out for the hiccups you will be most likely to encounter. Fundraising trainers Mary Cahalane (the introvert) and Chad Barger (the extrovert) will be your guides during this fun introspective session.

Speakers

Mary Cahalane

Chad Barger

Key Thinking Strategies of Phenomenal Leaders

As a leader, your thinking has a greater impact on your results than any other factor.  In this session, you will learn how to challenge your self-imposed limitations to reflect the thinking of today’s most accomplished leaders.  You will walk away with tangible strategies for overcoming your biggest leadership obstacles.

Speakers

Kim Ades

Killing It on the Job When the Job Is Killing You

You’re a fundraiser who knows her craft– you should be killing it!  Is the job killing you instead?  Fundraisers face massive pressure to raise more and more money while also facing the unique challenges of working in nonprofit organizations.  In this session, learn to differentiate between typical pressures and toxic stressors.  The speakers will walk you through common challenges and offer four paths to success, distilled from our four decades of experience.  We got you!

Speakers

Beth Ann Locke

Clay Buck

Leadership From Within

Jumping off from well-known leadership theories such as Cashman’s "Leadership from the Inside Out" as well as incorporating philosophies of movement such as the Alexander Technique, participants in this session will explore the connection between great leadership, mindfulness, and body awareness.  Come ready to stretch yourself–both figuratively and literally!  Do you find yourself losing energy during meetings?  Are you unable to move crucial conversations forward?  Are you generally exhausted after work?  Then this is the session for you. 

Speakers

Adrienne Longenecker

Let’s Talk About Trust: Professional Fundraising and Public Perception

Fundraising is problematic because it is too professional to be trusted and not adequately professional to warrant trust. Drawing on recent research, this session will explore why a general distrust of professional fundraising persists and consider how fundraising can gain trust in order to better serve public interest.

Speakers

Juniper Locilento

Mission vs Money: Maintaining Public Trust and Upholding Ethical Principles in Fundraising

Public trust of nonprofit organizations is essential for effective fundraising. Because of their mission, nonprofits and their leaders are held to a higher standard of ethical performance that is missing in many for-profit companies today. Fundraisers and NPO leaders must balance competition for donors and dollars while upholding ethical standards that may sometimes challenge their organizations. Professionals will review and define the Code of Ethics, improve accountability and transparency, and leave with an understanding of the importance of ethical fundraising. Participants will review relevant ethical cases and assess their knowledge and information related to ethical code violations.

Speakers

Gina Johnson

Yulunda Davis-Quarrie

Monthly Giving: What Fundraisers Can Learn From the UK Experience

What drives monthly giving?  What are the barriers?  In this session, Mark Phillips of Bluefrog, with more than thirty years of experience recruiting and upgrading monthly givers, will share the best practices to apply to your program, as well as what to avoid.  Mark will also share brand new market research into donor attitudes to monthly gifts and real-life examples from the UK. 

Speakers

Mark Phillips

New Delhi to New York and Mumbai to Montreal: Indian Immigrants Make Their Philanthropic Mark

The Indian community is one of the fastest growing diaspora groups in the United States and Canada.  As they establish new roots, philanthropic giving has already become a mainstay feature in their settlement story.  How can your organization build bridges with Indian immigrants and the next generation?  In this session, two academic researchers and two fundraisers join together to share their knowledge and experiences in engaging and stewarding this high potential donor group.

Speakers

Krishan Mehta

Manju Ramachandran

Bernadette White

Nivisha Mehta

Oh No! Ready for a Crisis? Prepare for the Day You Hope Never Comes

Nobody wants to think about a scandal or emergency at their nonprofit organization.  If the unexpected happens, are you ready?  Whatever the crisis, an alleged fraud, allegations of sexual harassment, an accident, or a suspicious death, you must be prepared.  In this session, learn crisis strategy, proven techniques, and tips on how to prepare for the day you hope never comes.

Speakers

Sam Laprade

One Size Doesn''t Fit All: How to Engage Donors by Their Generation

Your donors are not the same, and your fundraising approach shouldn''t be, either. The truth is, from the Matures to Generation Z, giving looks different.  Different generations are motivated to give for different reasons. They also give in very different ways.  How can you build impactful and sustainable relationships with each generation?  In this session, learn how to understand their different paths to philanthropy and how to engage them as loyal and long-term donors to your cause.

Speakers

Lynnette Adams

One Voice, Endless Possibilities: A Guide to Integrated Fundraising

How do you tell your story in an integrated way?  Learn how through a case study about the first integrated campaign implemented by St. Michael’s Hospital:  the strategy, creative, and 40% increase in revenue!  You will learn the good, bad, and ugly of integrated fundraising.  Leave feeling informed and inspired to take on this approach! 

Speakers

Ericka Tovey

Maeve Strathy

Portfolio Practices: How to Manage Your Front-Line Fundraising Portfolio for Success

Front-line fundraisers have donors to cultivate, metrics to meet, and budget goals to achieve.  How do we build and manage our portfolios, as individuals and team members, for fundraising success? This session will address best practices in portfolio management and the real-life challenges faced by front-line fundraisers. Using both recommended procedures and personal experiences, we will address moves management practices, techniques for responsible reporting, and setting ambitious but realistic goals.

Speakers

Veronica Kannan

Nat Wyeth

Betsy Purves

Stephanie Johnson

Practicing Gratitude, Learning From Fred Rogers, and Making Fundraising More Meaningful

Numerous studies suggest that practicing gratitude helps prevent illness, promotes optimism and happiness, and strengthens relationships.  The research applies as much to leading a meaningful life as it does to feeling inspired on the job and effectively engaging donors.  This session will present gratitude as a choice and explain ways to cultivate a grateful disposition.  It will also make recommendations about thanking donors well, appreciating colleagues, and finding inspiration in the highest hopes and ideals of your organization. 

Speakers

Alan Friedman

Professional Authenticity or Career Suicide? How to Balance Personal and Professional Identities at Work

What happens when people stop being polite and start getting real?  In this honest conversation with a panel of diverse fundraising professionals, learn how to navigate this increasingly blurry terrain of convergence and how to protect relationships with donors and CEOs.

Speakers

Brett Barnes,

Brad Richardson,

Daphne Logan

Sarah Weikel

Alice Ferris

Rage Philanthropy: The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown

Anecdotal evidence and recent media reports suggest that donors are increasingly political in their gift-giving practices.  But what do we really know about this phenomenon dubbed “rage philanthropy”?  What impact does it have on organizations?  This session will share emerging research and offer suggestions for fundraisers working with politically-minded donors.

Speakers

Amy Voida

Sarah Nathan

Melanie Sidwell

Seven Things Every Donor Wish We Knew

This is the session your donors want you to attend, and so does your supervisor!  Too often we approach fundraising from our own point of view.  However, we can be far more successful by looking at fundraising from the only point of view that really counts, the donor''s.  Come and learn how to make our jobs far more rewarding, raise more money, and have fun doing it.

Speakers

Wayne Olson

Sitting Down With Billionaires: Reaching the Difficult-to-Reach Prospect for a First Meeting

Game-changing appointments with major philanthropists.  We all want them.  Learn how. Through 30+ years of the speaker''s practical experience, learn methods, techniques, and fun tips for obtaining appointments with the biggest philanthropists in your community.

Speakers

Armando Zumaya

Step-by-Step Guide to Building Customized Training and Development Plans for Your Board

Are you a small or mid-sized nonprofit ready to guide your board to the next level?  Not sure where to start?  Come learn how to teach your board the joy of development!  This highly interactive session will show you how to design your own board development training and how to craft and deliver customized development plans for immediate results.

Speakers

Annam Manthiram

Subject Matter of a Mature Nature: Prospecting the Greatest Generation

Imagine your grandmother or grandfather.  How did they enrich your life?  What values did they instill in you about generosity, giving back, sacrifice, and service?  The "Greatest Generation" is slowing fading away, but it''s not gone yet.  Why are we chasing after Millennials when the "Greatest Generation" has so much to offer, and they are updating their wills!  Join us for some great conversation. 

Speakers

John Drake

TEST - Vanessa Mayo

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Speakers

Vanessa Mayo

Kendall Joyner

Chris Dinegar

The Best Practices to Make Your Donors Love You

Ten rising stars in fundraising will share their top tips for donor cultivation, retention, and stewardship in this rapid fire panel.  With more than 50 ideas covered, you will leave with strategies and tactics you can implement immediately to bring you closer to your donors and your donors closer to your mission.

Speakers

Tommy Wrenn

Gabrielle Awuma

Penelope Poppers

Johnny Avots-Smith

Kelsey DeForest

The Case for Support Playbook: Using the Flexible Story Format to Engage Donors

Stop boring your supporters with your case for support.  They already know what you''re going to say, and it''s too much about you! This session will explore how to create dramatically different and engaging cases for support using powerful psychological tools and frameworks.

Speakers

Bernard Ross

The Giving Brain: The Neuroscience of Legacy Giving

You know there are hundreds of billions of dollars out there in charitable bequests, and you''d love to get your share.  With limited time, expertise, and money, how do you actually do it?  Any marketer will tell you that the first step in a persuasion exercise is to fully understand your audience.  In this fast-paced session, Canadian legacy giving guru Holly Wagg will help you uncover your audience in an unforgettable way.

Speakers

Holly Wagg

The Influential Fundraiser

Fundraisers must exert influence with major donors, board members, and colleagues. This session is based on The Influential Fundraiser by Bernard Ross and draws on psychology and neurology to win people over in one-on-one situations.  We will focus on effective solicitation with high value donors and cover the 5 Ps: passion, proposition, preparation, persuasion, and persistence.

Speakers

Alan Hutson

The Intentional Fundraiser

Does this thought run through your mind at the end of a long day?  "Thank goodness it''s 5 o''clock, now I can go home and get some work done."  So much for work-life balance.  Whether you’re a one-person shop or you manage a large team, The Intentional Fundraiser provides a high-performance approach to achieving success at work while reclaiming your life!

Speakers

Tammy Zonker

The Neuroscience Laboratory

Your chance to become a decision scientist! This session will offer you the chance to work in a team and create an original experiment to test out some of the latest thinking in behavioural economics and neuroscience.

Speakers

Bernard Ross

The Psychology Behind Successful Fundraising Events

Fundraising galas and events succeed when they win the hearts and minds of their guests.  When planning an event, what are the psychological and emotional triggers to consider that will help better connect guests to your cause?  Learn a 3-step plan for maximizing guest engagement and turning guests into post-event donors.   

Speakers

AJ Steinberg

The Right Stuff: Innovative Approaches for Recruiting Fundraising Staff

Talented and skilled fundraisers are in perpetual demand.  How do you find the right ones for your organization?  This session provides research-based tools and strategies for effective hiring from recruitment and screening to interviewing and selection.  Join us to learn new and creative approaches to this essential activity.

Speakers

Sarah Nathan

Genevieve Shaker

The Three-Legged Race: Engaging the Next Generation of Volunteer Leadership & Major Gift Donors

How can a volunteer/staff partner relationship maximize your fundraising potential?  Join Christina Sorbara (campaign cabinet member) and Nancy Horvath (major gift fundraiser) as they discuss some of the hottest topics impacting the next generation of volunteer leadership and major gift fundraisers.  They will explore the best ways to engage the next generation of volunteers, people from diverse backgrounds, and multi-generational donor families toward maximizing fundraising success.

Speakers

Christina Sorbara

Nancy Horvath

The Top 10 Challenges of Capital Campaigns: How to Fix Them and Still Reach Your Goal

Are you ready for the adventurous ride through the landscape of today''s capital campaign?  You may pack carefully for the trip, but capital campaigns are fraught with adventure, risk, and challenges. In this interactive and practical presentation, two noted capital campaign veterans will guide you through crises and obstacles that you may face on your journey to a transformational fundraising goal.  You will learn creative solutions that ultimately will bring big success!

Speakers

Gail Perry

Brian Bonde

Timesaving Tools to Rock Every Fundraiser’s World

Want timesaving tools to up your nonprofit game?  We’re tossing around tips like confetti!  Get a bounty of free and affordable ideas to delight, stand out, and be completely unforgettable with your donors.  It''s a bag of social media hacks and productivity tools to help you be better organized and wildly productive! 

Speakers

Rachel Muir

Julia Campbell

Rachel Clemens

Tips & Tricks to Grow Your Small Shop Bigger, Faster

Do you work in a small, or one-person, shop?  Are you new to fundraising?  Have to do it all?  One of AFP ICON''s most talked about sessions is back with *new* insights along with the tried-and-true ones.  Walk away with *actionable* tips & tricks from professionals with decades of small shop experience that will help grow your shop bigger, faster without sacrificing quality.  This session focuses on small shops regardless of experience level.

Speakers

James Phelps

Jim McBride

B.Michael McFarland

Unlocking Your Legacy Potential

Gifts in Wills represent over 85% of all planned gifts. What are YOU doing to unlock this potential? Using case studies from around the globe and activities, this two-day masterclass will teach participants the fundamentals of a strong legacy program such as proper data mining & segmentation; impactful engagement through a legacy pipeline to get a pledge; developing personalized supporter journeys; effective marketing; and reporting to track success.

Speakers

Ligia Pena

Using Digital to Dig Deeper in Your Database and Drive Donor Development

Four out of five organizations do not use the information they have at their fingertips to their maximum potential, likely because the information they''re collecting in their databases is stale or ineffective. This workshop will tell you how organizations of all sizes can use data collection, free (or inexpensive) technology solutions, and digital engagement techniques to move prospects up the ladder to super-volunteers and major donors.

Speakers

Brianna Gianti

John Dawe

Using the Phone to Qualify Leads and Get Appointments

We all have a phone on our desk or in our pocket.  The phone is a very powerful fundraising tool.  However, the phone is intrusive, so we have to be careful and respectful when we make donor calls.  Whether you are new to fundraising or have years of experience, this session will help you hone your skills and develop personal techniques for successfully talking with your donors on the phone and getting visits.

Speakers

Tim Logan

We Really Don''t Want That Book / Collection / Artwork! Artfully Rejecting and Redirecting Gift-in-Kind Conversations

Ever had someone contact you about donating a gift-in-kind (GIK), only to find out their "treasure" is really troublesome for you and your organization?  Do you work in a GLAM (Gallery, Library, Archive, Museum) institution that struggles with its GIK policies and donor conversations?  In this session, learn how to deflect and redirect those "treasures" while keeping--and even improving--solid donor relationships.

Speakers

Keith Gorman

Karlene Jennings

What Does Truth and Reconciliation Mean in the Philanthropic Sector?

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released a final report and 94 calls to action, following a multi-year process of listening to survivors, communities, and others affected by the Indian Residential School system.  Based on a small survey of the philanthropic sector, this session will explore the unique role the sector can play in contributing to the work of reconciliation in Canada.  What is the knowledge level of stakeholders in the sector?  What successes, opportunities, and challenges do they face in supporting the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action? 

Speakers

Sharon Redsky

What Mystery Shopping Tells Us About Donor Care (or Lack Thereof)

Think your organization is excellent at donor care? If your staff were mystery shopped, are you certain they would respond according to ethical best practices? This session explores how Fundraising Institute Australia developed and managed a member mystery shopping program to improve ethical fundraising, particularly around donors in vulnerable circumstances.

Speakers

Katherine Raskob

What Nonprofits Can Learn About Building an Engaging Brand From Stand-Up Comedians

What can stand-up comedians like Carlin, Seinfeld, or Rock teach nonprofits about engaging new supporters? The answer:  How to stand out!  Leigh Kessler, a former stand-up comedian, TV personality, and branding expert, takes audiences inside the world of stand-up comedy.  He highlights the journey that comedians take to find their authentic voice, grab people''s attention with their story, and communicate with authenticity across any channel, helping fundraising and nonprofit professionals re-imagine how their supporters see them.

Speakers

Leigh Kessler

Why Babies at Work Will Change Nonprofit Culture for Working Moms

As we continue to tackle issues of equity and inclusion within the workplace, let''s talk about one of the most forgotten groups, working moms. Throughout all sectors, working moms with new babies face enormous pressure to return to work as soon as possible.  This creates stress for the new mom and lowers productivity.  It doesn''t have to be this way.  Join us for an interactive discussion about ways to create better workplaces for working moms. 

Speakers

Dr. Allison Plattsmier

Why You Need More Women Donors and How You Can Get Them

You need more women donors!  Women have the potential to change your nonprofit organization with their philanthropy.  Learn how to engage them, how the differences in their attitudes about wealth and philanthropy affect their giving, and how you can influence current and future generations of women to give more.  Real people share their stories, and research studies confirm what we have assumed but now know for sure.  Women''s philanthropy is part of the future.

Speakers

Lois Buntz

Why Your Capital Campaign Needs a Planning Study

Yes, your nonprofit organization needs a planning study for its capital campaign. In this session, learn why. Through a comprehensive overview, learn what a planning study is and what it isn''t. We will look at organizational readiness and staff and volunteer roles. You will learn how to better understand how to maximize a planning study''s analytics and final report. Leave the session prepared to fully participate in your nonprofit''s internal discussions and implementation of a planning study.

Speakers

Melissa Brown

Deborah Eschenbacher

Writing a 21st Century Case for Support

Choosing the right words is key to receive approval for your grant request or a yes for any financial contribution. You case should clearly explain WHY, WHO, HOW and WHAT IT TAKES financially to do it. The 21st century case for support must look, sounds and feel different to cause action. Be prepared to receive coaching from Lori and your colleagues as you answer seven questions that must be answered in any case for support.

Speakers

Lori Jacobwith

You Got the Job! What to Do Your First 90 Days As a Team Leader

Congratulations, you got the job!  Now what? The first 90 days in your new leadership role can seem overwhelming, yet they are critical to the long-term success of your team, development strategy, and fundraising goals.  Learn how using appreciative inquiry can ensure alignment with your boss, board, and team, and how the appropriate use of transparency and vulnerability can set everyone up for success. 

Speakers

Melissa Simon

Liz Bear

You Need a Killer Opening Act: The Role of the Annual Fund in Major Giving

Major gifts are essential to fundraising and campaign success.  Many major gift donors begin their giving with a gift to your annual fund.  In addition to securing new donors and annual gifts, a successful annual fund can help upgrade donors, build donor loyalty, and develop major gift and planned giving donor prospects. In this session, we will discuss how the annual fund can help increase major gift results.

Speakers

Tim Logan

Your Next Planned Gift is Just a Phone Call Away!

This session will explore current statistics and trends in planned giving and look at new ways to enhance your organization’s planned giving efforts. Discover techniques for identifying planned giving prospects, soliciting potential donors, and closing the gift over the phone. Most planned giving donors say they were "simply never asked” for a gift. Learn how your organization can avoid this common pitfall and develop a thriving and profitable planned giving marketing and solicitation plan.

Speakers

Anthony Alonso

Your Shop''s Ops: The Top System Operations Fundraisers Need to Implement Today

Are you ready to reinvent your fundraising operations?  No matter the size of your organization, this session will teach you the most impactful ways to enhance your systems and processes.  We will share operational best practices and tangible ways to better organize your work while maintaining a change management lens.  When you implement these donor management and data system practices, your donors will notice and your team will thank you!

Speakers

Juliana Weissbein

Amy Dorfman

Barbara Caceres Cerda

TEST - Vanessa Mayo

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Education Track

Rebels, Renegades, and Pioneers Pioneers

Speakers

Vanessa Mayo

Kendall Joyner

Chris Dinegar